Six Wonderful Things America Has Islam to Thank For

...directly or indirectly — and certainly not limited to these — but because the question "Are you Muslim?" should lead not to a stabbing but a celebration. And because it would appear, with the whole "mosque" thing, it's time to start reminding people of that. So, conversation starters:

The Grace of Hakeem Olajuwon

Born in Nigeria, the Dream supplied the smoothest moves ever by a center (see: Dream Shake, The) while winning two titles. He showed similar poise off the court when controversy erupted in 1996 when Nuggets guard Mahmoud-Abdul Rauf refused to stand up for the national anthem, declaring that it was right to rise: "It's so important that people understand that there is a difference between respect and worship. People who worship the flag should also understand that there is a difference." Truth.

The Sears F---king TowerI'm not calling it whatever Chicago calls it now. But I do acknowledge the magnificence of that city's skyline, and for that we have to thank Fazlur Khan, a Bangladeshi structural engineer who moved to Illinois for his master's degrees and swiftly revolutionized American urban architecture. Yeah, the Hancock building, too, and much more.

Inspiration (and Labor) for Founding Fathers

Not famously enough, Declaration of Independence signer Benjamin Rush once said he would "rather see the opinions of Confucius or Mohammed inculcated upon our youth than see them grow up wholly devoid of a system of religious principles." It was not an uncommon sentiment, with Thomas Jefferson specifically citing Muslims as a group worth protecting under his Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, John Adams praising Muhammad as a seeker of truth, and George Washington offering the possibility of employment to "Mohometans" at Mount Vernon (provided they were "good workmen"). Ah, we've come so far.

Most of Hip-Hop

Rappers practicing Islam are too numerous to list, but it's worth noting their ranks include Ice Cube, who during his N.W.A days gave us one of the most incendiary (and influential) songs ever with "F--- tha Police," yet later found time to create a wacky family sitcom for TBS.

Their Lives Defending Us

One winner of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star winner in particular has come to symbolize the sacrifice of Muslim-Americans after Colin Powell singled him out in 2008: "[H]is name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life."

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